Clay Morton

Thirty-one years (27 at the DMN) to build a journalism career. Ten minutes to end it. Of course, I knew it could happen, but experiencing the layoff came as a shock -- once the numbness wore off.

Fortunately, I have Sharon and my kids, friends and even Bangs the Dog and Vince and Comet the Cats for support. All have been wonderful.

I really have only two regrets about my time at the DMN: One, that I didn’t get to know more of you better; two, that I wasn’t able to out-Bob Miller Bob Miller.

I especially enjoyed my years spent playing small-town newspaper man in the office on the Rockwall square. It was wonderful fun, and I’m grateful to the DMN for the opportunity.

More recently, as economic conditions forced a retreat from the local-local strategy, I enjoyed midwifing stories of more regional interest. I’m proud that all three of my most recent reporter-partners were able to mine the suburbs for 1A stories.

As some of you know, in my personal life I rely less on faith than on philosophy for comfort. Here’s mine:

Whoever said time is money was wrong. Time is infinitely more precious than money. And no investment of time can make it grow. The best we can do is to spend it wisely.
For me, that means wasting not a minute in bitterness.

Short term, I plan to take a couple of weeks to read, reflect and perhaps trek around Big Bend a bit. (How many people get the chance for a mid-career break?)

Also, it’s occurred to me that I’m now free to plant an Obama sign in my yard – another perk of disaffiliation with a newspaper.

Then, of course, I’ll need to relearn the art of resume writing and sleuth out potential non-newspaper places to put newspapering skills to work. (This seems a good time to diversify the family’s sources of income.)

I know the whole layoff process has been an ordeal, as well, for those of you who remain. My advice is to put the pain behind you as quickly as possible and enjoy the journalism ride as much as possible for as long as possible.

We core readers are depending on you!